By Tom Angell
The likely next member of Congress from Minnesota’s 2nd district believes that states should be able to legalize marijuana without interference from the federal government.
Jason Lewis, a former nationally syndicated radio host, currently leads the three-person field vying for the Republican nomination for the seat, according to an internal poll conducted by his campaign.
“For the record, I happen to agree with the critics on the futility of most ‘crimes’ between two consenting adults; enforcement seldom works (see prohibition and the war on drugs) and ends up creating more problems than it solves,” he wrote in his 2011 book, “Power Divided Is Power Checked: The Argument for States’ Rights.”
Lewis won the state GOP’s endorsement at its convention in May, but voters will decide who gets the nomination in a primary election held this coming Tuesday.
“The sad irony is that the exorbitant black-market profits used to finance [drug cartels’] operations are a result of prohibition itself,” Lewis wrote in a 2011 op-ed in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “America’s entrenched drug warriors remain undeterred. They simply refuse to recognize that the state isn’t very good at keeping adults from ‘abusing their freedom’ by doing foolish things.”
While writing that decriminalization would be “no panacea” for drug problems, he said that “we need to ask whether incarcerating first and asking questions second is the most effective response for nonviolent drug offenders.”
Discussing America’s failed experiment with banning booze, Lewis added, “For all of the problems associated with alcohol, and there are many, you simply don’t see gangs shooting one another (and innocent bystanders) over a six-pack of Bud.”
John Kline, the retiring Republican congressman who currently holds the seat, voted eight times against amendments to restrict the federal government’s ability to interfere with state medical cannabis laws. He also voted last year against an amendment to protect all state marijuana laws — not just ones covering medical use — from federal attacks. That measure narrowly failed by a vote of 206 – 222, meaning that advocates only need to flip nine no votes to yes votes in order to pass it. Replacing Kline with Lewis would bring legalization advocates one step closer to winning.
Kline has endorsed businesswoman Darlene Miller in the primary. Also running is John Howe, a former state senator.
The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Angie Craig, a former health care executive, in November. The district has traditionally been considered safe for Republicans, though redistricting may have made it more competitive, according to reports.
But the Marijuana Policy Project’s Robert Capecchi, a Minnesota native, said Kline’s retirement represents a chance for reformers to expand support for cannabis amendments in the House no matter who wins the general election.
“Mr. Lewis’s support for sensible marijuana policy reform is indicative of fact that support for allowing the states to set their own marijuana policies free from federal interference is not left/right, but shared among individuals across the political spectrum,” he told Marijuana.com in an interview. “Considering Mr. Lewis is endorsed by the state party and the Democrats just added a plank supporting a ‘reasoned pathway to legalization’ in their national party platform, this race also presents a great opportunity to pick up a supportive vote, regardless of who wins in the November.”
As a radio host, Lewis often interviewed speakers for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a group of police officers, judges and prosecutors who want to legalize drugs.
In a 2010 interview with LEAP’s Joseph McNamara, a former San Jose and Kansas City chief of police, Lewis said, “I tend to be very sympathetic with you… The last three presidents have admitted they’ve done drugs… There’s an hypocrisy effect.”
He added, “Just because it isn’t a good idea, doesn’t mean the government should ban it. We don’t ban gluttony, we don’t ban alcohol, we don’t ban lots of things.”
A poll last year found that Minnesota voters support legalizing marijuana, 49 percent to 44 percent. The survey also found that 54 percent of the state’s registered voters believe that the ban on marijuana is no more effective than alcohol prohibition and that 51 percent think the Minnesota’s economy would benefit from legalizing cannabis.
